Home Trends: Closets: Goodbye tanks & shorts, hello sweaters & jeans

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After the Labor Day Holiday weekend, I have become very aware of the leaves changing colors and the temperature beginning to drop. Fall is around the corner, and we all know what that means: Winter is on its way. Summit County inhabitants were spoiled with a warm summer, and now the time comes to switch out our warm seasonal clothing for sweaters, jeans, hooded jackets and boots. There is a systematic, yet easy way to begin the process of transitioning your closet into your cooler weather wear. First, I recommend allowing a few hours to complete the task. The most efficient way to pack away your summer clothing pieces is to down size. Start from the left and work toward the right, or start from the top and work to the bottom. Piece through your closet article by article: Did you wear it this summer? If not, what are the chances of wearing it next summer? Pending your thoughts on each garment, you may want to consider donating any items that will not be of use to your anymore. Items worth hanging on to should be packed away into a clean box, storage bag or bin. Be prepared to label your storage accessories with the contents for an easy switch out next spring. This also allows you to quickly locate particular items for your beach vacation in the middle of winter. Now that you have emptied and sorted, it's time to put your fall and winter wear back in. Again, work from top to bottom or left to right. Organize by color and type of wear. Your shirts or your blouses, basic and dressy tops, sweaters, and jackets should all be in the near vicinity of each other. Work your colors from light to dark. Fold your sweaters neatly and place them on the shelf above your tops. Be leery of hanging sweaters since hangers can create bulging in the shoulders. Use the same concept for your pants, trousers and jeans. You can opt to conserve shelf space in your closet by folding your bottoms over the cross bar of a hanger. That freed up space on your shelves can become a very useful space for other organization or storage needs. Neatly arrange your shoes on a shoe rack or on the floor. Arrange from tall to short. If you have tall boots, consider buying boot shapers, which can be placed into the interior of your boots to stand them up. This will help your boots keep their shape and refrain from slumping. Since your organization is already under way, take a little bit of additional time to go through your accessories, socks and undergarments to throw out any pieces that have seen better days. This transition of seasons is a popular time for closet remodels. If your organization doesn't come naturally and your closet just needs a better set up, consider seeking a closet professional's input. Typically, consultation services are free and the technology and innovation in closet design has come a long way. On that note: I'm still running my "Best of the Worst Contest." Submitting your home improvement or furnishing nightmare images to my email could earn you $600 to put towards a new closet to gear you up for the upcoming seasons. For more home style tips and information visit ifurnish and More Space Place in Frisco or email Kalyn Johnson at kalyn@morespaceplaceco.com.